The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for transferring fill strands to warp strands to produce a non woven fabric.
The present invention relates particularly to methods and apparatus for transferring fill strands to warp strand materials which are difficult to handle.
There are many materials which have presented special problems when attempts have been made to assemble the materials into wide widths, that is, widths wide enough to permit economical use in a variety of manufacturing processes. The materials may be difficult to handle because of abrasion resistance, fly or guiding problems. For example, graphite tape in one inch to three inch width is difficult to handle. Highly abrasive yarns like steel tire cord, where rolling spacing devices are desirable, are also difficult to handle materials.
Prior methods of weaving such materials or holding them together with resins or adhesives but without filling yarns have often resulted in degradation of final product properties or have produced a web that is uneconomical to handle because it has low integrity.